Port Elizabeth: MyPE - ABYC Sails Again

www.MyPE.co.za: Sailing at Algoa Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) had gone into recession thanks to the October 2009 Storm damage to the marina. But you can't keep a good thing down for long.

Sunday the 7th February saw 12 ABYC keel boats and 3 dinghies muster on the start line for the first official race since the marina disaster.Once the shipping movement was completed the race committee started the reverse pursuit race. The format of a reverse pursuit race is; all yachts start together and sail out on a set course, then after a pre-determined time all yachts will make a 180 degree turn and sail back to the finish. Your yacht's speed or lack thereof is then your handicap.

The start of the race showed the lack of practice as the first boat was 15 seconds late and the last just over 3 minutes late. The wind was the predicted South East of 8 knots, the course determined was St Croix Island. The fleet left the harbour in a stately procession. The conditions changed very slightly as the wind swung slightly into the South South East, but still between 5-8 knots. Exactly one hour after the start the sailing commodore gave the radio instruction to "turn and come back home".

For all those having lunch in the restaurant they had more than their fair share of the wonderful ambience the ABYC Chartroom Restaurant offers. 14 yachts sailed to the finish line right at the entrance to the moorings and all within 10 minutes. Some boats were "dicing" to the finish. It was quite spectacular to have 3 boats finish seconds apart on a 50 meter long finish line.

First home were the old men of the sea on Maricia, followed by Spirit of Gardiol, then together Con Brio, and the 470 Dinghy 222 and Fuzzy Bosworth on an Extra, They were followed by Talisker, High Spirit, Whisper, Jouster, Aon, Bonita, Sea Mole, La Chevalier. Odessy did not cross the line as they were concerned about the constraints the line posed on such big boat (they would have been third). A very big thank you goes to Odessy for hosting the students from Rhodes University Sailing Club for the week end.

The prize giving was held on the balcony , the prizes being sponsored beers. Amid much mirth and hilarity beers were awarded and confiscated (due to late start) and couple of booby prizes were awarded.

The consensus was that it was a great fun event, all got to the pub together and most of all it was great to be sailing again. It was such a great day that Aquabrat didn't finish the race, they went on sailing (they said it was too good out in the bay).

Philip Stunden.